This is a group of mates who have been playing wargames together in Hobart, Tasmania since the early '70s. HQ is Jim's place in Battery Point, but games are played at several venues in Tasmania, Canberra & even England. If you want to get hold of us, please email campcromwell@netspace.net.au

Friday, July 27, 2012

Task Force A does it again!

A practice for the doubles FOW tournament (Operation Cromwell).

Nick R and Rob vs Nick B and Dennis.

It was supposed to be a different game. Nick R substituted at the last minute for Shane. And Shane and Rob thought they were fighting Russians, while Nick B and Dennis thought that we had agreed to be Americans. All in all a bit of a mix up.

Nick R and Rob had a Panzer force -- King Tiger, lots of Tigers, and lots of Panzer IV's. Nick B and Dennis had a tank destroyer force -- 8x M18 and 8x M10 (using Task Force A and Rangers in Brittany). As Nick said before the game -- 'we will win or lose by turn 3'. It wasnt quite right -- the game went to turn 4.

Task Force A and the rangers attacked as fast as they could. Nick R and Rob were worried -- the force looked impressive. But they sent a small Panzer IV platoon forward to disrupt the tank destroyers -- a move that worked succesfully. Some tank destroyers 'decloaked' and destroyed the small Panzer IV platoon. But then the Germans unleashed an ambush of 6x Panzer IV J and unleashed a pile of woopass on the tank destroyers. The return fire wiffed. The surviving tank destroyers missed. The US artillery missed. The 5x Stuarts getting flank shots missed. And the Panzer IV's happily followed up and removed most of one US company.

Meanwhile, the Rangers with M10 support had managed to kill one platoon of tigers and take an objective. This forced the Germans to take a company morale test, as they had no reseves, so their heavy company had no platoons - just the CinC tiger and 2iC Tiger. They passed. Then they got their King TIger reserve, and the Panzer IV's moved over to complete the destruction of the M10s and Rangers.